--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it hadn't been for record people like…" description: "\"If it hadn't been for record people like Ralph Peer, the Chess brothers, and Alan Lomax, then life would've been unbelievably dull, and I would've been..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/ry-cooder-3690_airport_if-it-hadn-t-been-for-record-people-like_1388966.jpg" --- # If it hadn't been for record people like Ralph Peer, the… ![“If it hadn't been for record people like Ralph Peer, the Chess brothers, and Alan Lomax, then life would've been unbelievably dull, and I would've been sacking groceries somewhere and probably, at this point, running a little 7-Eleven down by the airport.” quote by Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/ry-cooder-3690_airport_if-it-hadn-t-been-for-record-people-like_1388966.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/ry-cooder-3690_airport_if-it-hadn-t-been-for-record-people-like_1388966.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/ry-cooder-3690_airport_if-it-hadn-t-been-for-record-people-like_1388966.jpg) > “If it hadn't been for record people like Ralph Peer, the Chess brothers, and Alan Lomax, then life would've been unbelievably dull, and I would've been sacking groceries somewhere and probably, at this point, running a little 7-Eleven down by the airport.” [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how certain record collectors and folklorists preserved cultural music, preventing a bland, uninspired life for future generations. **In simple terms:** Preserving music keeps life interesting. Key Takeaway Value cultural preservation. Themes culture music history legacy Mood reflective appreciative Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - music production - museum curation - documentary filmmaking - archival research Key Concepts folklore archiving influence Questions to Reflect On - How would music be different without these archivists? - What role does you play in shaping identity? A Different Perspective If preservation fails, cultural richness fades. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers/) [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [My dad named me that before anybody knew anything about the other Loretta Lynn. She hadn't even put a record out yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-morgan/my-dad-named-me-that-before-anybody-knew-anything-about-the-other/) [Lorrie Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-morgan/) > [I wanted to put jazz on the record, all the loves of music that I had on the record, so I could show people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcknight/i-wanted-to-put-jazz-on-the-record-all-the-loves-of-music-that-i-had/) [Brian McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcknight/) > [If you are going to be a leader, you must have a record where people saw you are standing up against injustice at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/if-you-are-going-to-be-a-leader-you-must-have-a-record-where-people/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [The biggest shock of your life is when you first make a record and go to a show and then people start singing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-godrich/the-biggest-shock-of-your-life-is-when-you-first-make-a-record-and-go/) [Nigel Godrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-godrich/) > [Society's Child' was a real hard record to start with. That's all you want is for you to put your first record out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-ian/society-s-child-was-a-real-hard-record-to-start-with-that-s-all-you/) [Janis Ian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-ian/) > [So often, the singer is the sound of the record. People think they can cover anything, but the whole voice is the thing that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-almond/so-often-the-singer-is-the-sound-of-the-record-people-think-they-can/) [Marc Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-almond/) > [I don't do much recording anymore, but before I really stopped, I was glad to get five, five cent a record. That's why when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/i-don-t-do-much-recording-anymore-but-before-i-really-stopped-i-was/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) > [It's very special that I can go through things - and write them down and record them - and so many people can relate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorja-smith/it-s-very-special-that-i-can-go-through-things-and-write-them-down/) [Jorja Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorja-smith/) > [I like to record with people. I don't particularly enjoy standing alone and recording my own voice or my own stuff. It's sometimes fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sondre-lerche/i-like-to-record-with-people-i-don-t-particularly-enjoy-standing/) [Sondre Lerche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sondre-lerche/) > [Everything you say on TV counts. You say it on record, with people watching you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-ruhle/everything-you-say-on-tv-counts-you-say-it-on-record-with-people/) [Stephanie Ruhle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-ruhle/) > [“We’re not eight kingdoms, but an entire land with one heartbeat. It’s why people like you and I need to record our people’s stories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/we-re-not-eight-kingdoms-but-an-entire-land-with-one-heartbeat-it-s/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [There are so many things to be worried about, and I wanted to make a record that people could put on, and it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/there-are-so-many-things-to-be-worried-about-and-i-wanted-to-make-a/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [I've never really been able to open up and record around people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-wave/i-ve-never-really-been-able-to-open-up-and-record-around-people/) [Rod Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-wave/) > [I wanted to make a record that people could put on year after year after year, and it would never feel dated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martina-mcbride/i-wanted-to-make-a-record-that-people-could-put-on-year-after-year/) [Martina McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martina-mcbride/) > [It is nice to make a record and people like it, and it's encouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weller/it-is-nice-to-make-a-record-and-people-like-it-and-it-s-encouraging/) [Paul Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weller/) ## More by Ry Cooder > [I got a reputation for being 'eclectic' or some damn thing like that, but to me, the different kinds of music I play are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/i-got-a-reputation-for-being-eclectic-or-some-damn-thing-like-that/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [The '50s was the golden age of music all over the world for some crazy, 'X-File'-like reason I can't quite understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/the-50s-was-the-golden-age-of-music-all-over-the-world-for-some-crazy/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [I had a lot of luck in meeting great musicians who were kind enough to show me things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/i-had-a-lot-of-luck-in-meeting-great-musicians-who-were-kind-enough/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [You can play as good as you want, but you have to sing from a place of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/you-can-play-as-good-as-you-want-but-you-have-to-sing-from-a-place-of/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [I give up on pop music. As far as a commercial entity, as far as pop music goes, I quit; I absolutely throw in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/i-give-up-on-pop-music-as-far-as-a-commercial-entity-as-far-as-pop/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [Musicians are not so concerned with language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/musicians-are-not-so-concerned-with-language/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [The story of American pop music is the story of failure. The blues, country music, it's not the story of success. People don't win;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/the-story-of-american-pop-music-is-the-story-of-failure-the-blues/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [If you're white working with non-white people, you will be branded as a colonialist by some people, regardless of your efforts or intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/if-you-re-white-working-with-non-white-people-you-will-be-branded-as/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [On any given day, if I play the guitar, I can put myself somewhere. I always thought, 'This is the way you go.' It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/on-any-given-day-if-i-play-the-guitar-i-can-put-myself-somewhere-i/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [Music is a treasure hunt. You dig and dig, and sometimes you find something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/music-is-a-treasure-hunt-you-dig-and-dig-and-sometimes-you-find/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [I always have felt that most people don't have the first idea about what musicians, in the traditional sense - I don't mean in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/i-always-have-felt-that-most-people-don-t-have-the-first-idea-about/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [Music is all starting to sound alike in the modern era. Afro-pop sounds exactly like L.A. pop - there's no difference, no ambience, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/music-is-all-starting-to-sound-alike-in-the-modern-era-afro-pop/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [I'm sort of an osmotic fellow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/i-m-sort-of-an-osmotic-fellow/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [The Delmore Brothers is hit music - very, very popular - and it still retains that rural flavor and simplicity. I always think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/the-delmore-brothers-is-hit-music-very-very-popular-and-it-still/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [Needless to say, you've got to have someone who can speak for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/needless-to-say-you-ve-got-to-have-someone-who-can-speak-for-you/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) [Explore all 124 Ry Cooder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) ## More Airport quotes > [When you're walking at the airport, you're expected to smile at people because they know you... I find that tough. I'm only trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kaif/when-you-re-walking-at-the-airport-you-re-expected-to-smile-at-people/) [Katrina Kaif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kaif/) > [My flights delayed and I found a pube in my sushi. Good times at the airport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/my-flights-delayed-and-i-found-a-pube-in-my-sushi-good-times-at-the/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [“All this waiting. Waiting for the rain to stop. Waiting in traffic. Waiting for the bill. Waiting at the airport for an old friend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/all-this-waiting-waiting-for-the-rain-to-stop-waiting-in-traffic/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [If I never saw another airport again, I'd be happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emm-gryner/if-i-never-saw-another-airport-again-i-d-be-happy/) [Emm Gryner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emm-gryner/) > [In the U.S., the term 'general aviation' means its exact opposite, the way 'public school' does in England. An English public school is private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/in-the-u-s-the-term-general-aviation-means-its-exact-opposite-the-way/) [Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/) > [You never know what's going to happen en route to the airport or station and the last thing you want is to get there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-lynn/you-never-know-what-s-going-to-happen-en-route-to-the-airport-or/) [Vera Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-lynn/) > [Imagine if every airport would blast Brian Eno. I bet going through security wouldn't be as difficult. I can't imagine someone being aggressive with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-posey/imagine-if-every-airport-would-blast-brian-eno-i-bet-going-through/) [Parker Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-posey/) > [Seattle is a place I've lived only a couple of years, but I feel like I've been adopted by this city. It's like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kondabolu/seattle-is-a-place-i-ve-lived-only-a-couple-of-years-but-i-feel-like/) [Hari Kondabolu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kondabolu/) > [I've always been very good at convincing people. For instance, if I arrive in an airport and I'm in economy, I can always convince…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-ve-always-been-very-good-at-convincing-people-for-instance-if-i/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [Hector Lombard kicked me 32 times in that fight. No issues. I walked through the airport the next day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-smith/hector-lombard-kicked-me-32-times-in-that-fight-no-issues-i-walked/) [Anthony Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-smith/) > [Just got back from a pleasure trip: I took my mother-in-law to the airport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/just-got-back-from-a-pleasure-trip-i-took-my-mother-in-law-to-the/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [Never fly to the U.S. the day before Thanksgiving or the weekend after because every airport is guaranteed to be crammed to bursting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/never-fly-to-the-u-s-the-day-before-thanksgiving-or-the-weekend-after/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [I fell in love with Rwanda the moment I saw those verdant, rolling hills rise up beneath the wings of the plane as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-benaron/i-fell-in-love-with-rwanda-the-moment-i-saw-those-verdant-rolling/) [Naomi Benaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-benaron/) > [I love steakhouses. When I'm in Chicago, I know there's a Gibsons that's open late. 13 Coins at Sea-Tac Airport in Washington is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/triple-h/i-love-steakhouses-when-i-m-in-chicago-i-know-there-s-a-gibsons-that/) [Triple H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/triple-h/) > [Its 6 AM and Im at the airport. I know youve been here, I can feel you everywhere. Its in the air, the sudden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-riccitello/its-6-am-and-im-at-the-airport-i-know-youve-been-here-i-can-feel-you/) [Dominic Riccitello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-riccitello/) Browse all 273 Airport quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If it hadn't been for record people like Ralph Peer, the Chess brothers, and Alan Lomax, then life would've been unbelievably dull, and I would've been sacking groceries somewhere and probably, at this point, running a little 7-Eleven down by the airport.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ry Cooder" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/if-it-hadn-t-been-for-record-people-like-ralph-peer-the-chess/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Airport" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/if-it-hadn-t-been-for-record-people-like-ralph-peer-the-chess/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/ry-cooder-3690_airport_if-it-hadn-t-been-for-record-people-like_1388966.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/ry-cooder-3690_airport_if-it-hadn-t-been-for-record-people-like_1388966.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/ry-cooder-3690_airport_if-it-hadn-t-been-for-record-people-like_1388966.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If it hadn't been for record people like Ralph Peer, the Chess brothers, and Alan Lomax, then life would've…” — Ry Cooder", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ry Cooder", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If it hadn't been for record...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/if-it-hadn-t-been-for-record-people-like-ralph-peer-the-chess/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/if-it-hadn-t-been-for-record-people-like-ralph-peer-the-chess/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```